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United States Patent |
6,164,157
|
Chen
|
December 26, 2000
|
Bicycle crankset
Abstract
A bicycle crankset includes a chain ring, a sleeve, two bearing sets, two
bearings, two fastening nuts, two rubber washers, a retaining washer, a
tightening nut, and a crank arm provided with outer threads. The crankset
is mounted on the crank arm by the sleeve in conjunction with the
retaining washer and the tightening nut which is engaged with the outer
threads of the crank arm. The two fastening nuts are provided with a
circular groove for retaining the rubber washer which is semicircular in
its cross section and is provided at both edges on the flat side with an
angled corner to facilitate the inserting of the rubber washer into the
circular groove of the fastening nuts.
Inventors:
|
Chen; Hsing-Lung (14 Lane 460, Section 2, Chan Shui Road, Chi Fuh Township, Chan Hua Hsien, TW)
|
Appl. No.:
|
352756 |
Filed:
|
July 14, 1999 |
Current U.S. Class: |
74/594.1 |
Intern'l Class: |
F16C 009/02 |
Field of Search: |
74/594.1,594.2
384/545,538
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4950521 | Aug., 1990 | Takamura et al.
| |
Foreign Patent Documents |
17427 | ., 1893 | GB | 384/545.
|
713012 | Aug., 1954 | GB | 384/545.
|
2135399 | Aug., 1984 | GB | 74/594.
|
Primary Examiner: Green; Mary Ann
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A bicycle crankset comprising a chain ring, a sleeve, two bearing sets,
two bearings, two fastening nuts, two rubber washers, a retaining washer,
a tightening nut, and a crank arm provided with a plurality of outer
threads whereby said two bearing sets, said two bearings, said two
fastening nuts, said two rubber washers are fastened on said crank arm by
said sleeve in conjunction with said retaining washer and said tightening
nut which is engaged with said outer threads of said crank arm; wherein
said two rubber washers have a solid, semicircular cross section and are
provided at both ends of the diameter of a half circle thereof with an
angled corner.
2. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 1 wherein said rubber washers are
arranged with a curved side facing each of the bearings.
3. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 2 wherein each of said fastening
nuts includes a peripheral shoulder abutting one side of the rubber
washers.
4. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 3 wherein said one side is a flat
side that is opposite said curved side.
5. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 3 wherein each of said fastening
nuts includes a groove arranged at a base of said peripheral shoulder for
receiving a potion of the rubber washers.
6. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 5, wherein said one side is a flat
side that is opposite said curved side.
7. The bicycle crankset recited in claim 1 wherein each of said fastening
nuts includes a groove for receiving the rubber washers.
8. In a bicycle crankset including a crankarm connected to a crankshaft
that is supported by a bearing arranged between a bearing seat and a
fastening nut, the fastening nut having a peripheral groove for receiving
a seal, wherein the improvement comprises:
the seal having a curved side and a flat side which is opposite the curved
side wherein the curved and flat sides abut different walls of the groove.
9. The bicycle crankset of claim 8 wherein said different walls of the
groove are opposite side walls of the groove.
10. The bicycle crankset of claim 9 wherein the curved side of said seal
faces the bearing.
11. The bicycle crankset of claim 10 wherein the improvement further
comprises the seal being formed from a flexible gasket material.
12. The bicycle crankset of claim 11 wherein said material includes rubber.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a bicycle, and more particularly
to a crankset of the bicycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a bicycle crankset of the prior art comprises a
chain ring 1, a sleeve 2, two bearing sets 3, two bearings 4, two
fastening nuts 5, two rubber washers 6, a retaining washer 7, a tightening
nut 8, and a crankarm 9. The crankset is fastened on the crank arm 9 by
the tightening nut 8 which is engaged with the outer threads 10 of the
crank arm 9. The two rubber washers 6 have a square cross section and are
intended to be lodged in the circular groove 11 of the fastening nut 5 so
as to bring about the dustproof and the waterproof effects. The fastening
nuts 5 are provided with a lubricating grease, which prevents the rubber
washers 6 from being lodged in the circular grooves 11 of the fastening
nuts 5 with precision. The quality of the prior art bicycle crankset is
thus seriously undermined. In addition, the assembly of the bicycle
crankset of the prior art can not be done efficiently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved
bicycle crankset which is free from the deficiencies of the prior art
bicycle crankset described above.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing
objective of the present invention is attained by a bicycle crankset
comprising a chain ring, a sleeve, two bearing seats, two bearings, two
fastening nuts, two rubber washers, a retaining washer, a tightening nut,
and a crank arm. The two rubber washers have a semicircular cross section,
which enables the rubber washers to be lodged with ease and precision in
the circular grooves of the fastening nuts, thereby enhancing the
efficiency of assembling the bicycle crankset.
The foregoing objective, features and functions of the present invention
will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the
following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a bicycle crankset of the prior art.
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the prior art bicycle
crankset in combination.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a bicycle crankset of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the bicycle crankset of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the rubber washer of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention by line 5--5 as shown in
FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the rubber washer of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line
7--7 as shown in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
As shown in FIGS. 3-7, a bicycle crankset embodied in the present invention
comprises a chain ring 21, a sleeve 20, two bearing seats 30, two bearings
40, two fastening nuts 50, two rubber washers 60, a retaining washer 70, a
tightening nut 80, and a crank arm 90 which is provided with a plurality
of outer threads 91. The fastening nuts 50 are provided with a circular
groove 51 for retaining the rubber washer 60. The crankset of the present
invention is fastened with the crank arm 90 by means of the sleeve 20 in
conjunction with the retaining washer 70 and the tightening nut 80 which
is engaged with the outer threads 91 of the crank arm 90.
The present invention is characterized by the rubber washers 60 which have
a semicircular cross section 62, as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, the
rubber washers 60 are provided at both ends of the diameter of the half
circle thereof with an angled corner 61 which enables the rubber washers
60 to be lodged in the circular groove 51 of the fastening nut 50 with
ease and precision. Accordingly, the assembly of the bicycle crankset of
the present invention can be done efficiently.
The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded
in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive.
Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is
therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following appended claim.
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